Nobility
Nobility is a state of being both having to do with one's station or there personality traits. Background What is nobility? In Daventry there are two definitions. The first refers to one stations in life; lords, ladies, dukes and earls. The nobles and royalty in the world. Those who are given nobility from birth. One may be born into nobility without being born into a king's station. Some may change stations. Graham for example rose to a higher station when King Edward made him the heir to the throne of Daventry. Before then, though born the son of a nobleman Hereward (a knight of the realm)KQC3E, pg, he considered himself a 'nobody', not born into the king's station, and whose heritage does not go back very far into Daventry's history.KOS, pg His background was that of a minor noble. Valanice in contrast was born to royalty only on one side.SNW, pg Her father was Prince Cedric of Kolyma and her mother was a peasant; Coignice, a miller's daughterKQC2E, pg. She grew up being raised as a princess of her realm. Rosella on the other hand can claim to be royalty both sides. She was both born and raised royalty on both sides (her father a king by status and her mother by royal by birth).SNW, pgThis form of nobility may also referred to as 'blue blood'.KoS, 111 Another form of nobility is that of the heart, rather than regality. One is more noble that deserves than one that receives benefits. The tanner Connor was a peasant (and a local knight). Although not born of noble stock (nor was he raised in the royal court) his resolve was strong, and his challenge clear. His heart was still noble and good. His gallant nature allowed him to persevere where others would have failed, allowing him to become a great warrior and hero. Knights may not necessarily be 'nobles' by blood per se but may come from both nobility or the common folk who are knighted as guardians of the realm. The Rangers for example may represent knights who do not have much or any land holdings, while the more richer knights hold their own estates. King Graham is a true knight, noble of heart and sworn to aid the helpless. Nobility *King *Queen *Prince *Princess *Duke/Duchess *Earl *Knights *Baronets *Lord *Lady Notes *Graham is described as a 'noble knight' in The King's Appeal, and other sourcesCatalogue summaries. He is described as a 'noble Father' and 'noble king" in The Royal Family: A Celebration, and also 'noble of heart' in the KQ2 novel in the Companion. He is described as being: kind, brave, noble and just. He is also called 'noble sir' twice in the KQ5 novel in the Companion (the latter at least specifically seems to be a reference to the class system of being a noble). *Alexander similarly is referred to as 'noble sir' in KQ6 novel in the companion, and it clearly appears to be a reference to Alexander's nobility. *Cassima is described as being 'nobility' in the KQ5 novel of the Companion. Although she was filthy, and her clothes rags, she projected an aura of dignity and nobility. *Daventry's line of seneschals though not of high station, and considered 'servants'; the family stretched back into the roots of the land. Oswold was a seneschal, so had his father before him. William would most likely take that post someday; when Rosella took the throne. They knew their station and how to behave in the royal house.KOS, 13, 14 *Hereward (the father of Graham) was a nobleman and King Edward's best friend. This would technically make Graham a nobleman unless for some reason his mother was not 'noble', and nobility could pass over him because of this. But as mentioned he is at least 'noble' by other means. *Graham had a difficult time with his station, since he had been born a nobody. Without Valanice watching over him, he would have no idea how a king should behave.KOS, 12 *Valanice was a member of the royalty. Born a royal on one side (the daughter of a prince)SNW, pg 5. She had class without the stuffiness seen in other members of the nobility.KOS, 16As a princess herself she is of a rather high level in the court. *It is possible that Graham's father became a nobility (knighthood) after Graham's birth, thus would explain why Graham apparently doesn't seem to consider himself having been born to nobility. *Not all knights come from nobility. The manual for KQ4 even suggests that many gallant knights began as as lowly peasants. *From the ribbed vaults of the Great Hall of Castle Daventy hung the banners and colors of Daventry's noble families and the ﬂags and colors of foreign lands friendly to Daventry.SNW< pg *In the new King's Quest series universe (Reboot Canon), Graham states in that his family comes from a long line of nobles, and one very clever dentist (equating 'knights' to nobles). His family has always protected crowns. See also Nobility (KQGS) Behind the scenes In many medieval and current monarchies, nobility and royalty are two separate classes. With 'royalty' being above 'nobility'. Royalty usually includes kings, queens, princes, and princesses, and any Dukes and Duchesses who are also princes and princesses themselves. Nobility is below that and anyone with 'titles', including born into the title, earned titles, or bought titles. These include lesser Dukes and Duchesses, counts, barons, lords and ladies (viscounts, and marquis), knights, etc. The titles vary depending on the nation. It appears the novels might have mixed up the terms nobility and royalty instead giving them similar meaning, and implying that Valanice is both a princess (Royalty) which makes her a member of the nobility. At the same time suggesting Graham was a 'nobody', of a class even lower than nobility (which might imply he was just a freeman or peasant).KOS, pg The reference to 'king's station' maybe the only reference to a difference between higher nobles and lesser nobles. It is also said that Graham was not born a king, and that Valanice was born a royal on one side. This of course only suggests that Graham is not royalty, and of a lower caste (but by itself doesn't indicate if he was nobility, freeman or peasant).SNW, pg 5 But saying that he was a' nobody' does seem to suggest that he is probably not a noble, from the perspective of the novels (or at least from a very minor house). The King's Quest Companion on the other hand does confirm that Graham was born into the nobility, his father was a 'nobleman'. There is no indication in KQ lore that in Daventry at least follows the traditions of the Morganatic marriage, in which individuals of two classes are incapable of passing down rank and privileges to their consort/husband and children, as both Valanice, and the twins are still part of the Royal Family of Daventry, despite having less than royal blood in their heritage.. According to the KQ4 manual, careful use of the 'save function' has saved many gallant knights from returning to lowly peasants. This is a nod to the fact that some knights in fairy tales, myth/legend, and fantasy, started out as peasants before they became knights. This may also be a reference back to the fact that Graham was a knight in the original King's Quest game, and may suggest that some of the authors, writers and developers saw him as someone who was less than a 'noble', less than 'royality'. Connor is another example of 'peasant' to 'knight' story theme. In the licensed novels knights are simply highly trained defenders of the kingdom, some appear to be peasants (or at least of poorer noble families) and some are rich noblemen in the kingdom (see King's Quest: The Floating Castle). References Category:Philosophy Category:Customs